Navy archives reveal tale of maritime tragedy

When former United States Navy Captain Robert S. Wells saw a footnote deep in the records of the US National Archives that revealed an incredible piece of history about Chinese people in the United States, he knew that he had struck gold.

Wells wondered how this crucial piece of information had remained hidden for decades. Intrigued, he would soon uncover a story about the largest loss of Chinese immigrant life onboard a US steamship, an event that dated back over 150 years.

It took over four years of exhaustive research to reveal everything from the records of the lost SS Japan in the National Archives in Washington, DC and Archives II in Maryland.

He collected so much information that he eventually wrote a book called Voices from the Bottom of the South China Sea: The Untold Story of America's Largest Chinese Emigrant Disaster, released in 2015.

The book also traces the origins of the modern-day US-China trade relationship, which is relevant as the countries are currently engaged in trade talks.

Wells, a native of Santa Monica, California, has been honored for his work and engaged in speaking tours across the country to riveted audiences of Chinese Americans and those interested in history or maritime events. He has made it his mission to reveal everything about that fateful night so that the lost voices could finally be heard.

Just a few minutes before midnight on a winter night in 1874, in the darkness of the South China Sea, a coal fire shot across the deck of the SS Japan steamship and spread rapidly through its wooden frame.

A crew member desperately called out to warn passengers of danger. But just 45 minutes later, flames had torn through the 4,000-ton ship's hull, as an inferno raged, trapping the mainly Chinese passengers below deck.

Hundreds of Chinese emigrants onboard were so close to home, just 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Shantou, Guangdong province. But as panic quickly spread through the ship, they had to make a decision. As they could not reach the lifeboats, many of them dove into the South China Sea to escape the flames. Others succumbed to smoke inhalation. Around 130 passengers and crew survived and took five lifeboats to Hong Kong.